Motor cooling system for e-boosting device

Abstract

A motor case for an electric motor of an e-boosting device is configured to be received within an outer housing to cooperatively define a coolant jacket. The motor case includes a shell member that at least partly defines a motor cavity for receiving the electric motor. The motor case also includes a dam member that is fixed to the shell member. The dam member projects from the shell member in an outboard direction from an outer surface of the shell member. The shell member and the dam member are configured to be received within the outer housing to define the coolant jacket and with the dam member partitioning the coolant jacket. The dam member is made of a different material from the shell member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A motor case for encasing an electric motor of an e-boosting device, the electric motor configured to drivingly rotate a rotor of the e-boosting device in rotation about an axis, the motor case configured to be received within an outer housing, the motor case, with the outer housing, configured to cooperatively define a coolant jacket between the motor case and the outer housing, the motor case comprising:
 a shell member that at least partly defines a motor cavity for receiving and encasing the electric motor, the shell member including an outer surface that faces in an outboard direction away from the motor cavity; 
 a dam member that is fixed to the shell member, the dam member projecting from the shell member in the outboard direction from the outer surface of the shell member; 
 the shell member and the dam member configured to be received within the outer housing with the outer surface spaced away from the outer housing to define the coolant jacket therebetween and with the dam member disposed proximate the outer housing to partition the coolant jacket; and 
 the dam member made of a different material from the shell member. 
 
     
     
       2. The motor case of  claim 1 , further comprising a sealing member that seals to the dam member and that is configured to seal to the outer housing to define a sealed fluid boundary. 
     
     
       3. The motor case of  claim 2 , wherein the dam member includes a groove and the sealing member is received within the groove. 
     
     
       4. The motor case of  claim 1 , wherein the dam member is made of a polymeric material and the shell member is made of a metallic material. 
     
     
       5. The motor case of  claim 1 , wherein the dam member includes an attached area that is attached to the outer surface of the shell member;
 wherein the dam member includes a detached area that extends from the attached area and that is spaced apart in the outboard direction from the outer surface to at least partly define an aperture. 
 
     
     
       6. The motor case of  claim 1 , wherein the dam member is elongate to extend in a circumferential direction about the axis. 
     
     
       7. The motor case of  claim 1 , wherein the dam member is elongate to extend in a radial direction relative to the axis. 
     
     
       8. The motor case of  claim 1 , wherein the dam member is elongate to extend in a longitudinal direction relative to the axis. 
     
     
       9. The motor case of  claim 1 , wherein the shell member is a first shell member, wherein the dam member is a first dam member, and wherein the outer surface is a first outer surface; and
 further comprising a second shell member and a second dam member that is fixed to the second shell member, the second dam member projecting outward from a second outer surface of the second shell member; 
 the second dam member and the second outer surface configured to define the coolant jacket and with the second dam member partitioning the coolant jacket, the second dam member made of a different material from the second shell member. 
 
     
     
       10. The motor case of  claim 1 , wherein the dam member has a portion received in an aperture of the shell member to attach the dam member to the shell member. 
     
     
       11. The motor case of  claim 1 , wherein the dam member includes a dam outer surface that is smooth and that is configured to be disposed proximate an opposing inner surface of the outer housing to partition the coolant jacket. 
     
     
       12. The motor case of  claim 1 , wherein the shell member comprises a formed metal piece and wherein the dam member is an overmolded polymeric piece that is overmolded on the shell member. 
     
     
       13. A motor case for an electric motor of an e-boosting device, the electric motor configured to drivingly rotate a rotor of the e-boosting device in rotation about an axis, the motor case configured to be received within an outer housing to cooperatively define a coolant jacket, the motor case comprising:
 a first shell member that at least partly defines a motor cavity for receiving the electric motor; 
 a first dam member that is fixed to the shell member, the dam member projecting from a first outer surface of the first shell member in an outboard direction, the first dam member made from a material different from the first shell member; 
 a second shell member and a second dam member that is fixed to the second shell member, the second dam member projecting outward from a second outer surface of the second shell member; 
 the first shell member and the first dam member configured to be received within the outer housing to define the coolant jacket and with the first dam member partitioning the coolant jacket; and 
 the second dam member and the second outer surface configured to define the coolant jacket and with the second dam member partitioning the coolant jacket, the second dam member made of a different material from the second shell member. 
 
     
     
       14. The motor case of  claim 13 , wherein the first dam member is made of a polymeric material and the first shell member is made of a metallic material. 
     
     
       15. The motor case of  claim 13 , wherein the second shell member is attached to the first shell member with the second shell member and the first shell member cooperatively defining the motor cavity for encasing the electric motor. 
     
     
       16. A method of manufacturing a motor case for an electric motor of an e-boosting device, the electric motor configured to drivingly rotate a rotor of the e-boosting device in rotation about an axis, the motor case configured to be received within an outer housing to cooperatively define a coolant jacket, the method comprising:
 metalforming a first shell member that is metallic to form at least part of a motor cavity for receiving the electric motor; and 
 molding a first dam member onto a first outer surface of the first shell member to be layered on and attached to the first outer surface, the first dam member projecting from the first outer surface in an outboard direction, the first shell member and the first dam member configured to be received within the outer housing to define the coolant jacket and with the first dam member partitioning the coolant jacket; 
 metalforming a second shell member that is metallic to form another part of the motor cavity for receiving the electric motor; 
 molding a second dam member onto a second outer surface of the second shell member to be layered on and attached to the second outer surface, the second dam member projecting outwardly from the second outer surface; and 
 further comprising attaching the first shell member to the second shell member to cooperatively house the motor. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing a sealing member that seals to the first dam member to define a sealed fluid boundary for the coolant. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein metalforming the first shell member includes cold working a workpiece to form the first shell member. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , wherein molding the first dam member onto the first outer surface includes forming a through-hole of the motor case, the through-hole configured to receive a coolant flow through the coolant jacket. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein molding the first dam member onto the first outer surface includes providing a mold member between the first dam member and the first shell member to form the first dam member and the through-hole.